Greetings,
My name is Peter Newman, and I am honored to serve you as the new principal of Da Vinci Charter Academy. For the past 20 years, our community has forged a new path in education, building an environment that prepares students to excel in a diverse, technologically advanced society and to craft their own valued educational experience. This has been accomplished through the bonds of care, persistence, and intentionality held between the students, parents, and staff of Da Vinci. As principal, I will work every day to ensure that these bonds remain strong and that we stay innovative in our pursuit of excellence.
In my 18-year career as an educator, I have served as a teacher, a school development coach, an Equity and SEL coach, and as a site administrative leader. I began my journey in education as a teacher at New Technology High School in Sacramento, a partner school of Da Vinci and the New Tech Network. There I built my foundation grounded in the importance of a community that supports and learning that inspires. As my career as an educator has evolved, one thing that has remained constant is the importance of a team ethic. As principal, I look forward to using all that I have learned throughout my journey to support the team and community of Da Vinci Charter Academy so that every student who walks through its doors leaves feeling valued and prepared to take advantage of the opportunities life will offer.
Beyond education, my greatest accomplishment is my family. I am the loving husband to my supportive and talented partner, Heather Fritz, whom I met here in Davis 16 years ago at the Rocknasium Climbing Gym. We are the proud parents of Adyson (8) who is a Redbud graduate and current Willett Elementary student. As a parent, I want the best for my child as she continues to grow into the best version of herself, with the skills and agency to take on the challenges that life will bring. As principal, I will work to ensure that your children have the best experience here at Da Vinci so that they can do the same.
To ensure a smooth transition, I plan on working closely with Mr. Millsap and Ms. Bowen. In addition, I will take time this summer to connect with staff, parents, and students to learn more about Da Vinci's rich traditions and practices. I am committed to the positive educational philosophy of Project Based Leaming, as I believe that at its core PBL can inspire, cultivate skills, and help students discover who they are as individuals. I am dedicated to identifying and reinforcing the attributes that make Da Vinci a uniquely successful educational program, while also learning about areas where there is room for us to grow. I look forward to developing partnerships where we work as a team to ensure that students are supported in meeting the high expectations of our school-wide learning outcomes and academic standards.
For me, relationships are the heart of a flourishing educational institution. As principal and neighbor, I serve you humbly knowing that the best of Da Vinci is yet to come and together we can continue to witness its growth. As we are now family, my door is always open to you for whatever reason. I am more than honored to serve you as Da Vinci's next principal and I look forward to all that we will be able to accomplish together!
Peter Newman
Da Vinci Charter Academy, Principal